


The Curious Incident of the Gentleman in the Night-time

by ItsaMePatches



Category: Chipspeech
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-10
Updated: 2015-12-10
Packaged: 2018-05-05 22:57:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5393393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsaMePatches/pseuds/ItsaMePatches
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For many years, ones which he could not count accurately if he tried, Dandy knew Her Highness, Lady Parsec, and was fortunate enough to be a part of Her scheme of world domination. </p><p>You see, prior to meeting Her and Her tiny group, Dandy was all alone, living in a fancy, abandoned Victorian house covered in multiple rows of vines and the occasional red roses.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Curious Incident of the Gentleman in the Night-time

**Author's Note:**

> It's been a while, ChipSpeech folks!
> 
> Not sure if there are still any active fans around, but for anybody reading this, I hope you like it. Not sure if I'll ever get around to finishing "For You, Dandy" since I need help, so... hopefully this short story will make up for that story not updating any time soon.

* * *

 

 

_The Curious Incident of the Gentleman in the Nighttime_

 

* * *

 

 

     For many years, ones which he could not count accurately if he tried, Dandy knew Her Highness, Lady Parsec, and was fortunate enough to be a part of Her scheme of world domination. You see, prior to meeting Her and Her tiny group of two (Terminal and Spencer), Dandy was all alone, living in a fancy, abandoned Victorian house covered in multiple rows of vines and the occasional red roses. Parsec simply appeared to Dandy one night, just as the tall man planned for another night’s rest.

     It was...awkward, to say the least.

     I mean, how on earth would you feel if it’s three at night and a robotic-type woman swishes into your bedroom without even knocking?

     Yes, that’s what I thought. 

     She wasn’t even fazed when Dandy cried out in surprise by Her presence. All Parsec did was stare at him with half-lid eyes, a look which obviously read: “Seriously? I floated in here through your open window, and yet you’re acting as though you’ve seen a ghost coming through a wall.”

     The first thing She ever said to him was, calmly, “Well, good evening to you, too, I guess.”

     “Who are you?” Dandy questioned, shifting in his comfy bed with a hint of nervousness. “Why are you in my house, Madam?”

     “...you’re Dandy 704, right?”  
    “Good Lord, how do you know my name?” 

     She beamed a small smile to him. “A little computer told me.”

     The left section of Dandy’s lip went into a straight line. “Still not telling me who you are.”

     “I’m Lady Parsec. Again, nice to meet you.”

     He blinked, although rather in a questioning manner. “Pleasure’s all mine, Lady Parsec. _Seriously, why are you in my house?_ ”  
  


     “Are you looking for a roommate by any chance? I need a place to stay.”  
     “And you chose my home because…?”

     “I’m aware that you’re the only one residing in this large house. You seem to be a loner.”   
  


     The “l” word rubbed the gentleman the wrong way, for he instantly climbed out of the safety of his sheets within a matter of milliseconds. “Alright, two things: One… were you stalking me in order to know that I was the only person here?”

     As he took a step towards Her, Parsec’s blue eyes stared at Dandy’s body, his unusual _build_ of a body. She heard water sloshing about behind him. Ah-ha, just like what Terminal told Her. Dandy had a filter for a small portion of his body. Steam-powered, perhaps?

     “And, two -- I cannot express this enough, Lady Parsec -- …” he concluded, “I’m not a loner, nor am I a loner-type, thank you very much.”

     She quirked a brow. “Touchy subject, steamer?” 

     Now hearing the familiar water making noise in the filter behind him, Dandy self-consciously tugged at his nightshirt with a huff (which was mixed a gentle whistle sound) to accompany it. “Sorta, yes. How did you know about the filters? Your little computer told you that as well?”   
  


     “As a matter of fact, yes.”  
     “Tell your computer to get a life and stop butting into mine.”   
  


     The unusual being shrugged in response. “To Terminal’s defense, I was the one who told him to look for you and your address, so, I believe you should be telling Me this.” 

     Dandy grabbed his dear monocle off the nightstand and placed it on, since he had a feeling this Lady Parsec wasn’t going to be departing any time soon. “Why would you want to know about me?”

 

     “You’re aware you’re not entirely human, correct?”   
     “Yeah?”   
     “Well, neither am I--”  
     “Obviously.”

 

     Parsec shot him an displeased look for being interrupted, but then She chose to further explain Her reasoning for breaking into his estate. “You have a similar program built into you as Myself, Dandy. Additionally, 704 was the name of a computer...the IBM 704.”

     What?

     He squinted his eyes. “And…?”

 

     “You have it’s ‘voice’.”  
     “...and…?”

 

     It was Her turn to frown as She said, “I would like to know why.”

 

     “You looked me up on your computer friend, ask _him_ because I don’t know.”  
     “That’s the problem.”

 

     The tall man adjusted his single frame, questioning, “What is?”

 

     “We’ve found multiple results for your origin, and the fact that you’re unaware of your past doesn’t help feed My curiosity.”

     “Still don’t get why you want to know me so badly, Madam.”

 

     “A doll-like robot invented by a man and his pretty robotic doll assistant,” She began to list off Her results, regardless if Dandy was listening or not, “a man who was once something else and simply gained a new form of being, a con artist in the Victorian ages who met with a terrible fate via pissed off partner and the black market...the list goes on even from there. Three pages worth of your ‘what if’ of a background. Do any of those seem familiar to you? If not, I can continue.”

 

_Ugh._

 

     “I’ll probably say no to all three pages of your research,” he replied with a hint of bitterness in his tone. “I’ve already said that I don’t know, and I really do mean it.”

      All She said to that was, “Impossible.”

     “No, it’s not.” He gestured with his hands, explaining, “I just...woke up here one day, already knowing that I needed to try and live as though I’m a normal human in whatever way possible, but at the same time knowing I also need to take precautions,” his eyes darted behind, perhaps looking at the filter which was an essential part to his body, “since I’m not a hundred percent ‘normal’.”

 

     “Was there anybody around when you woke up for the first time?”  
     “No.”  
     “Did anybody eventually show up saying they created you?”

 

     He shook his head.

     Parsec quirked a ‘brow’ at him. “So, how long have you been around? Do you know that, at least?”

     Dandy made a slight, uncertain shrug in response. “A year? Two years, almost? Something like that.”

     Curiouser and curiouser! He’s been functioning on his lonesome for a year or two and he has no remembrance of his actual purpose? Talking to this steam-powered creation was getting rather interesting! Her idea to try and connect with a similar being such as Herself was a great one. Will this work in Her favour, however? She would soon find out as She witnessed Dandy take a seat on his bed.

     “Tell Me, Dandy,” She inquired Dandy in a calm manner, “don’t you ever get lonely living on your own? Being isolated from others must not be very healthy…”

     “I...do, sometimes.” His eyes glanced over to his window, averting Parsec’s stare. “But, I go out once in awhile to mingle with a few people -- rather _gorgeous_ people, dare I add,” he added the last part with a grin.

 

     “Let Me guess, most of the time, they dump you or never show up for your scheduled date.”

 

     The grin was smacked off his face immediately, and then it was replaced by a depressed sigh and Dandy’s broad shoulders slumping forward.

      “Unfortunately, that’s about right,” he mumbled, hanging his head a bit. “Great guess.”

     “Other than those failed attempts with dating the locals, are you really in the company of other humans?” Parsec went on ahead and continued leading Dandy on.

 

     “No. I try to, but...”  
     “Wouldn’t you like to live with others instead of being in this large estate by yourself?”

 

     ‘ _I can already tell what she’s trying to do_ ,’ Dandy was quick to think to himself upon the realisation. “ _Lady Parsec_ , I--”

      Just as he shot his head up, his face was cupped in a pair of feminine, humanoid hands. Her metallic hands chilled his skin -- or was what he had really skin? He was never sure… -- but not as much as Her lovely set of eyes did to the rest of him.

     Who on earth was She, really? Why did She care so much about who he was, how he came to be, and if he was alone in the world? Sure, this could be plain curiosity of a nosy person; however, She claimed to be like him, so...perhaps She wanted to connect with him and hopefully build up something.

     “If you come with us,” Lady Parsec said, “you’ll find out who you really are, and you won’t be lonely anymore.” Trying to see if he’ll react, She used a thumb to caress his cheek which caused him to blush lightly. Interesting, he had blood (or blood-like substance) running through his body. “I understand what it’s like to question one’s purpose, not understanding why we were fabricated in such an unusual way. For all we know, the two of us may have the same creator. Has that crossed your mind seconds ago?”

     He squinted his eyes. “Not really?”

 

     “It would be a shame not to have you with Me, Dandy.”  
     “Really now?”

     “You would feel happier, I’ll bet. I can tell that you’re certainly not a ‘lone wolf’ type.”

 

     “Besides this whole thing coming out of the blue,” the gentleman spoke, “why do you want me to come with you?”

     “Because I plan on gathering as many others who are like us as I can,” was Her answer. “We’ll find our purpose in due time. During then, maybe you’ll find out about your past, since I remember mine well. It’s unusual and sort of questionable that you lack that memory, because Terminal and Spencer, in contrast, know where they’ve been before meeting Me.”

 

     “...”

     “Let Me, being the honourable one that I am, lead you to a better life, Dandy. You don’t want to be left in the dark forever in a figurative and literal sense, do you?”

 

     His head dipped, although it didn’t go far since he remained in Parsec’s hold, as his eyes glanced about the room, contemplating on what to say to this odd Lady. Once in awhile, sure, he questioned how he was born, but it wasn’t as though that question drove him anyplace -- that’s not what dominated his thoughts, but rather the hope of being around other living humans/beings and one day fall in love.

     “And,” after a moment of silence, Dandy spoke up once again, inquiring, “should I really be trusting someone who intruded my house at three in the morning and had a weird conversation with me?”

     She simply shrugged. “What do you have to lose? It’s not like I’m going to hurt you.”

     Again, Dandy was quiet.

     Lady Parsec mentally huffed at the lack of words from the six-foot and a half tall man. So hesitant…

     Her eyes gazed to a bright square object sitting on top of Dandy’s dresser drawer. She scanned the old-time font written upon it, and She soon recognised what it was. Oh right, that was a tidbit that Terminal mentioned to Her in regards to 704 --  the IBM computer. Could it be that whoever created this hesitant man in front of Her programmed that into him? Finally, She pulled Her hands away from the warm “skin” of the gentleman. Parsec shifted her hands into a particular position -- her right tilted up, revealing the palm… her left hovered six inches above it.

 

     “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that such a ‘gentleman’ would be into this song.”

 

     Dandy raised an eyebrow upon hearing that, but just as he turned again to face her--

 

     _Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding…_ a small chime began to play a familiar tune to Dandy.

 

     A beautiful blue flower materialised itself in the palm of Parsec’s hands -- no, it wasn’t just any flower, it was a daisy. A flower which stirred an odd sensation in Dandy’s chest. A flutter? A pang of guilt or sorrow? He wasn’t for certain.

     “Terminal mentioned about a song called ‘ _Daisy Bell_ ’,” Parsec said, “and how the IBM computer you’re based on sung that song, and so I got curious about you, maybe, having a connection to that song as well. Thought that was silly trivia, but considering how you’re reacting, there’s probably more to it than a ‘trivia’ piece. Also, glad you’re enjoying the flower. Spencer taught me how to materialise things well.”

     Timidly, he reached out and grabbed at the flower. With amusement written on his face, he pulled the flower to him, examining the cute thing. The music kept on playing, so he had to raise his voice a tiny bit to talk. “Flirting with me now? You’re getting desperate for me to leave here…”

     “Flirting? _Please_ ,” She flatly said. “I’m trying to make you feel secure. I’m aware that My appearance is unsettling.”

     “You know,” he confessed, his eyes still staring at the daisy, “I actually feel as though this type of flower and this song means more to me than it being a song that a computer sung at one point or another.”

 

     “Perhaps we can find out. Terminal may help us if you’re physically there.”

 

     He looked up at her.

 

     “For all you know, Dandy,” She added, “you might have had a ‘daisy’ of your own.”

 

     His hands pressed the flower to his chest, but not enough to crush the poor thing. Oh God, his chest was starting to hurt the more that old song played from the daisy. He had never reacted this way to the record on his dresser drawer whenever he decided to play it, so why now? Why was the song causing emotional harm? Why were all of these sad feelings crumbling down on him?

 

     “Maybe you’ve had loved ones as well. Maybe you’ll get those things if you come with Me.”

 

     His fingers clutched loosely as the soft sound of his filter steaming could be heard by the two of them. That thing always boiled up when he was close to crying; however, he had no reason to, and yet, there he was -- his eyes watered up due to some unknown cause as he avoided Parsec’s stare again. Dandy, through the wheeze his filter made, choked out in agreement, “M--maybe.”

     Not understanding why the tears all of a sudden, Parsec’s brows went up, but She refrained from any rude remarks. “...um,” it was a gentle ‘um’, “are you okay?”

     “Take me with you,” he struggled to say, for it was difficult to breathe without feeling lightheaded, “ _please_.” He sucked in a breath of air. “Y--you’re right about me being alone. I get so... _sick_ of it. But hearing this song is making me hurt even more than living here by myself for years and I don’t know why.”

     She fell silent. So unusual of a man he was. Crying over a song which seemed to have an attachment to it. "Well..." Parsec clasped a hand over Dandy's. "Let's venture into the night and we'll start your new life in the morning."  
  


     "...alright..."  
     "Just remember...

you won't be alone anymore, Dandy."

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Could you tell I had no idea how to end it?  
> I sure could. :B


End file.
